ExlService (NASDAQ:EXLS) Issues FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

ExlService (NASDAQ:EXLS) updated its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 2.140-2.190 for the period, compared to the consensus estimate of 2.030. The company issued revenue guidance of $2.3 billion-$2.3 billion, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $2.3 billion.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of brokerages have issued reports on EXLS. Stifel Nicolaus reduced their price objective on shares of ExlService from $54.00 to $46.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday. TD Cowen reduced their price target on shares of ExlService from $52.00 to $51.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of ExlService in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wall Street Zen upgraded ExlService from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, February 7th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $40.00 target price (down from $55.00) on shares of ExlService in a research report on Wednesday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, ExlService presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $44.80.

ExlService Stock Up 6.7%

Shares of EXLS traded up $1.92 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $30.59. The company had a trading volume of 255,822 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,011,005. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, a quick ratio of 2.91 and a current ratio of 2.91. The company has a market capitalization of $4.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.88. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $38.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $40.45. ExlService has a 52 week low of $26.94 and a 52 week high of $50.60.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Ajay Ayyappan sold 1,197 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.79, for a total value of $35,658.63. Following the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 53,901 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,605,710.79. This represents a 2.17% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Vikas Bhalla sold 11,774 shares of ExlService stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $39.99, for a total value of $470,842.26. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 115,272 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,609,727.28. This represents a 9.27% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 23,360 shares of company stock worth $920,567. Insiders own 4.04% of the company’s stock.

Key Headlines Impacting ExlService

Here are the key news stories impacting ExlService this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results topped estimates — revenue $542.6M (up ~12.7% y/y) and adjusted EPS $0.50 vs. $0.46 consensus; margins and ROE remained healthy. EXL Reports 2025 Fourth Quarter and Year-End Results
• Positive Sentiment: FY‑2026 guidance raised/above Street on EPS: company gave EPS guidance of $2.14–$2.19 vs. consensus ~ $2.03 — a constructive signal for earnings traction. Company Guidance Release
• Positive Sentiment: Management expects 9%–11% organic growth in 2026 and is expanding AI‑led services — a growth/technology narrative that can re‑rate multiples if execution continues. Seeking Alpha: Organic Growth & AI Expansion
• Positive Sentiment: Strategic moves — new targets, share buyback activity and cloud initiatives — are highlighted as part of management’s effort to boost shareholder value and transform offerings. Yahoo: Story Shifting with Buybacks & Cloud Moves
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcripts and highlights are available for deeper color on bookings, vertical demand and AI investments — useful for investors but not an immediate price driver by itself. Yahoo: Q4 Earnings Call Highlights
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage on whether EXL’s AI patents and intellectual property can justify higher valuation — questions of long‑term value that depend on monetization and defense. Investing.com: AI Patents & Valuation
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider activity: EVP Ajay Ayyappan sold 1,197 shares (~$35.7K) — a disclosed, modest reduction in position that is typically neutral when not part of a broader trend. SEC Form 4 Filing
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst revision: Stifel cut its price target from $54 to $46 (still a Buy) — the trim could signal lowered near‑term enthusiasm from an influential shop and pressures sentiment. Benzinga: Stifel Lowers Price Target

Hedge Funds Weigh In On ExlService

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its holdings in shares of ExlService by 9.5% in the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 5,927,793 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $251,576,000 after purchasing an additional 514,911 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of ExlService by 109.7% during the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 4,118,625 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $174,794,000 after buying an additional 2,154,652 shares during the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its holdings in ExlService by 1.1% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,902,412 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $123,181,000 after buying an additional 32,734 shares in the last quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC raised its position in ExlService by 71.7% in the 3rd quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC now owns 1,689,373 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $74,383,000 after buying an additional 705,509 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP raised its holdings in shares of ExlService by 34.0% during the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 1,621,732 shares of the business services provider’s stock valued at $71,405,000 after purchasing an additional 411,652 shares during the last quarter. 92.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

ExlService Company Profile

ExlService Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: EXLS) is a global operations management and analytics company that partners with clients in insurance, healthcare, banking, and financial services to drive digital transformation and operational excellence. The firm delivers analytics-driven solutions and business process outsourcing services, including claims adjudication, finance and accounting, data management, and customer service support. ExlService combines domain expertise with advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation technologies to help organizations optimize processes, enhance customer experiences, and manage risk.

Founded in 1999 and headquartered in New York City, ExlService has grown through a mix of organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, earning recognition for its data analytics capabilities and industry-specific knowledge.